This blog was created for Niles Animal Hospital & Bird Medical Center by Peter S. Sakas DVM in an effort to provide information & discussion about animal related issues. It may move into some eccentric directions on occasion if the mood strikes me as I get more comfortable in this form of communication. I am open to suggestions & comments about the blog. Also view our hospital website www.nilesanimalhospital.com or Facebook page Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

More Kaytee Food Recalls - Mouse, Rat, Hamster Diet

Kaytee Recalls Batch of Mouse, Rat and Hamster Food Due to Salmonella

Kaytee Pet Products of Chilton, Wis., is recalling a single
manufacturing batch of Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Mouse, Rat and
Hamster food due to possible salmonella contamination.
The recalled products are 3-pound packages with a “best before” date
of 31-Mar-2013 K63 (UPC Code 71859 9994); 5-pound packages with a “best
before” date of 03-Apr-2012 K61 (UPC Code 71859-00001); and 25-pound
bags with “best before” dates of 31-Mar-20-13 (UPC Code 71859 99995)
and, for Petco stores only, 30-Mar-2013 (UPC Code 71859 00000).
No other products or product lots are involved in the recall and no
human or pet illnesses have been reported, according to Kaytee.

Kaytee
recalled one batch of its Forti-Diet Pro Health Mouse, Rat and Hamster
food because a sample tested positive for salmonella.

Kaytee
issued the recall because one sample from the 5-pound bags tested
positive for salmonella in a random U.S. Food and Drug Administration
test, Kaytee reported. The affected products were manufactured Jan. 5
and 6, 2012, and Kaytee is taking steps to remove the product from all
retail stores and distribution centers and to fully investigate the
cause, the company reported.
Kaytee urges consumers that have purchased the recalled products to
contact Kaytee customer service representatives at 800-529-8331 for
further instructions.
Humans feeding the product could become infected, especially if they
do not thoroughly wash their hands after handling the products or
surfaces exposed to these products. Symptoms could include nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. More serious ailments
related to Salmonella include arterial infections, endocarditis,
arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms.
Kaytee urged people exhibiting those signs after contacting the product
to contact their healthcare provider.
Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea,
fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever
and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers
and infect other animals and people. Kaytee urged pet owners whose pets
had consumed the product and exhibited those signs to contact their
veterinarian.
The recalled products had been distributed to 28 states and one
territory: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota,
Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The products were also distributed to multiple countries: Abu Dhabi,
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, China, Costa Rica,
Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, Dutch Antilles, Finland, Germany,
Great Britain, Greece, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel,
Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Panama, Russia,
Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand and Trinidad.
This is the second recall issued by Kaytee this month. In mid April, the Central Garden & Pet brand recalled several lots
of Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula Baby Birds and Kaytee Exact Hand
Feeding Formula Baby Macaw due to high levels of vitamin D.